Flanging-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- J. OBRIEN.

'FLANGING MACHINE.

Patented May 11, 1886.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. OBRIEN.

FLANGING MACHINE.

No. 341,598. Patented May 11, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN OBRIEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FLANGING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,598, dated May 11 1886.

Application filed September 26, 1885. Serial No. 178,221.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN OBRIEN. of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flanging-llIachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section illustrating the manner of turning over the flange. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

My invention relates to a flangingmachine intended more particularly for forming flanges upon boiler-heads; and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, having a lower beam, B, and an upper beam, 0, and uprights D, the lower beam consisting, preferably, of two plates, as shown in Fig. 2, (forming a long Vertical opening between them and the uprights,) which support and upon which slides the mechanism for forming the flange. In the middle ofthe opening in thisbeam B is held a box, E, through which passes a short spindle or shaft, F, having upon its lower end a cogwheel, G, for receiving power from any suitable motor. Upon the upper end of this spindle is a head, G, beneath which and the beam I prefer to place a washer, G". Supported on the head of the spindle is a disk, J, having connection with the head, as shown in Figs. 1

and 4, and upon this disk rests the plate of metal to be flanged, asshown in Figs. 1 and 4, the plate being held between this disk and a similar disk, K, supported on the lower end of a vertical shalt, L, that isscrew-threaded and passes up through the beam 0, having upon it a hand-wheel, M, above the beam and a similar whel, N, beneath the beam. This latter disk is secured to the shaft in any ordinary way, and l have shown it connected by means of a neck, 0, thereon fittingin a socket in the lower end of the shaft, where it is held by transverse pins P, passing through the lower end of the shaft and through a groove, Q, in the neck of the disk. Between the lower end (No model.)

of the shaft and the disk I prefer to place a washer, It, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The lowerhand-wheel of the shaftacts merely as aja-m-nut to hold the upper disk down upon the plate while the plate is being flanged, and

by loosening upon this hand-wheel, the other hand-wheel may be turned to elevate this up per disk and release the plate between the two disks.

S represents T or I shaped sliding blocks inner ends are preferably connected to the heads by means of brackets T, fitti n g over heads on the screws, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It will thus be seen that by turning the screws in either direction the heads are moved in or out, as desired. These heads carry the formers T, over which the plate is flanged.

The formers consist of pins U, having heads U, over which the plate is bent. I prefer to recess the sliding blocks or head, as shown at V, Fig. 3, to form an oil-chamber for the pur pose of lubricating the pins, and I also prefer to place between the heads of the formers and their sliding blocks or heads anti-friction balls or rollers V, as shown in Fig. 3. Then the plate to be flanged is put in place, its outer portion extends over these formers, as shown in Fig. 1, and the part of the plate that extends beyond the formers is turned down to form the flange, as shown in Fig.3, by means of rollers \V, held in frames W, pivoted at W to sliding blocks \V the latter being sup ported on and guided by the beam-flanges, which they are constructed to straddle in rear of the former-heads. The frames are provided with rack segments W, into which mesh worms WV, having rods \V and handwheels W. The frames and rollers are arranged above the plates, and are adapted to be turned down by means of these worms working between the teeth of the rack-segments, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and as they are thus turned down they bend the plate, forming the flange thereon.

The blocks W may be moved back and forth, to suit plates of different diameters or sizes, by means of screw-rods X,passin g through the uprights of the frame and providedwith handwheels X, their inner ends being connected to the blocks by means of screws X passing through the blocks and fitting in grooves in the heads of the rods,or by other simple means.

The blocks WW are so connected to the beam B of the frame that they straddle and slide freely back and forth thereon, andare held to an adjustment by the feed-screws X.

As a means for conveniently adjusting the plate centrally upon the disks, I graduate one or both of the plates comprising the beam B, as shown at B in Fig. 2, and before putting the plate in place' move one of the sliding blocks \V to the number on the beam that corresponds to the number of inches of the diameter of the plate to be flanged, and then, when the plate is put in place, it is only necessary to move up the other sliding block W until it comes against the plate to be flanged, as shown in Fig. 1.

As an additional support for the plate while it is being flanged, I provide upon one side of the beam B an extension, B, which supports a roller, B", in a sliding block, B,which may be adjusted in or out bya rod, B, to suit plates of different diameters. The rod is provided with a hand-wheel, B, by which it is turned.

The chambers V may be filled with oil through means of perforations V extending down vertically through the formers, as shown in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

By using the sliding blocks W to center a plate upon the blocks the ordinary centeringpin, which is on one of the disks and passes through a hole in the plate, is dispensed with.

I claim as my invention 1. The means forsupporting the plate, which consists of a lower beam, B, formed of two plates, uprights D, upper beam, 0, central box, E, secured between the plates of the lower beam, short spindle F, having head G at its upper end and cog-wheel G at its lower end, disk J, secured to the head, a vertical shaft screw-threaded at its upper portion, which passes through the upper beam, disk K, secured to the lower end of the shaft, and handwheels M and N above and beneath the upper beam, respectively, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,with means for supporting the platefof'the lower beam, B, formed of two plates, the sliding block S, held between the plates by its flanges, formed with recess V, former T consisting of pin U and head U, having perforation V and the feed-screw T, having its head secured to the block, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination,with means for supporting the plate, of the lower beam, B, formed of two plates, the sliding block S, supported between the plates, formed with a recess, former T consisting of a pin, U, and head U, and the feed-screw T, having its head secured to the block, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,with means for supporting the plate, and a beam, B, formed of plates, of the additional support, B, consisting of an extension having a sliding block, B a roller, B, supported in the block, rod B, and handwheel Bisubstantially as shown and described.

JOHN OBBIEN.

In presence of A. A. PAXSON, CHARLES PIOKLES. 

